Avery-Stoss
WILKES-BARRE — Roads and bridges are major parts of regional infrastructure, and many other systems support daily life throughout Northeastern Pennsylvania as well.
Home heating fuel options, traffic volumes, and internet access also shape the region’s quality of life and overall well-being.
“We report on many aspects of our region’s infrastructure, including traffic volume, energy usage, and bridge conditions,” said Jill Avery-Stoss, president and CEO of The Institute. “This information can be used for planning, assessing for safety and security, making investment decisions, identifying future employment needs, and planning and preparing for economic growth.”
Like the rest of Pennsylvania, Avery-Stoss said most of the region’s workers commute by driving alone. From 2022 to 2024, traffic counts for I-81 in Wilkes-Barre Township and I-80 in Foster Township have increased by 3.4% and 6.7%, respectively. Traffic counts at PA-29 in Eaton Township experienced a 1.5% increase during that period.
Tracking bridge conditions is necessary to keep traffic flowing efficiently. Avery-Stoss said bridge data is also needed to coordinate maintenance efforts and prepare for long-term improvement projects. As of 2025, there were 361 bridges in Lackawanna County and 458 bridges in Luzerne County. Regionally, the number of bridges in poor condition has decreased slightly.
“Northeastern Pennsylvania benefits from having air travel available locally,” added Avery-Stoss. “The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport experienced a 9.8% increase in the number of passengers from 2024 to 2025. This is still 12.7% lower than record highs in 2019, but numbers are trending in a positive direction.”
Energy use and costs are also important to monitor because communities rely on energy for everyday needs such as heating, cooling, transportation, and powering homes and businesses. When these costs rise, Avery-Stoss said families face increased economic pressures. It becomes more difficult for them to afford basic needs like childcare or food. This level of scarcity affects workers’ ability to perform productively, students’ ability to perform academically, and public health in general.
Energy prices, excluding electricity, have started to level out and decrease after skyrocketing for the last several years. Avery-Stoss said natural gas continued to have the lowest cost per million BTU of the energy sources The Institute reviewed, and it has remained the most-used home heating fuel over the past decade. The use of electricity has recently grown in prominence, however.
Avery-Stoss said broadband access is an essential part of infrastructure as well. In addition to its importance in education, health care, and access to social services, widespread access to the newest and most essential technologies makes any location a more attractive place to establish a business — and a home. Furthermore, data from 2021 through 2024 has pointed to growing shares of workers telecommuting.
In 2024, Avery-Stoss said between 87.4% and 88.1% of households in the four-county region had some form of internet subscription. Smartphone adoption has been widespread as well, with smartphone access nearing the same level as home internet subscriptions.
“Together, these indicators provide a fuller picture of the infrastructure that keeps Northeastern Pennsylvania connected and functioning,” Avery-Stoss said. “Continued monitoring can help regional leaders target investments, address emerging needs, and build stronger, more resilient communities.”
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Reach Bill O’Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.